Cross Your Heart
by TheaJ1
Summary: This is one of the stories where Edward left Bella after her disastrous birthday party and never came back. Ten years later their daughter stumbles across a strange scent...
1. Preamble

**Author's note:**

**I had the idea for this story after reading what felt like a hundred stories dealing with what would happen if Edward left Bella pregnant after her birthday party and never came back in time to save her.**

**Well, here's how I think it happened.**

**I took the liberty of changing the child's – she doesn't actually have a name yet, and I'm open for suggestions – specifications a little.**

**Enjoy!**

**P.S I did my best to avoid errors, but I'm not a native. Have mercy! ;-) **

**Disclaimer: None of the characters belongs to me; they're property of Stephenie Meyer, I'm only borrowing them.**

**Preamble**

_I am at home._

_I leave the path used by hikers and quietly weave through the undergrowth. Birds chirp overhead. As I pass by underneath, they fall silent. Then, all of a sudden – and yet expected – they take flight, hundreds of birds leaving the trees all at once. A smile crosses my face._

_I pass a collection of rocks I remember well. There – almost three years ago – I had spent my very first night underneath the stars._

_I would not stay here tonight, though._

_I walk on in excitement. I have been gone for almost a year, and I am glad – ecstatic even – to be back. I wish I had not been forced to leave in the first place – but, then, it had been my own fault entirely, a second of carelessness, and I had promised myself to never let it happen again. I would never leave the heart of the forest, my sanctuary, again._

_Here I am safe._

_And here people are safe from me._

_A river, more than ten feet wide, its current wicked, parts the forest. I have never seen anyone cross it – anyone but me – and, as I catapult myself across in a single stride and land gracefully among the ferns, I feel home more than I ever did among other people._

_Now I am almost there._

_Nothing has changed. Trees have grown, yes, and I catch the scent of a bear which must have moved in while I was gone. But, apart from that, everything is the same. Redwood trees, the smaller kind, smaller than the ones I saw in Yellowstone, guard my way home. The sun, about to set, casts golden light, and the air is fresh, saturated with the mouth-watering scent of a herd of deer. It is a small herd. Only three or four. I consider going after them now – I _am_ hungry after travelling almost a hundred miles on foot – but I need to see my home first._

_I break into a quiet run. My lungs start to burn. I am exhausted, but I am impatient to get there and only when I reach the small clearing where _my _redwood_ _tree rests among its taller brothers I stop to catch my breath. Tears well up in my eyes as emotions overwhelm me. I have missed home so much. It feels unreal to be here again._

_The sky has turned purple, darker blue creeping up on the horizon. Slowly, I walk to meet my tree, the only home I ever knew, and start climbing. I could have reached my sleeping-place in seconds, but I savour the familiar feeling of the bark underneath my fingers._

_Then I am there. Everything is the way I left it. The blanket I stole when I first ran away and never got a chance to replace. A stuffed cat, a gift from the only one of my foster mother's I actually liked, lies underneath it. I gently touch its ear, then reach into the pocket of the pair of jeans I stole on my way back and pull out a blue ribbon. I press it against my face. Its scent is comforting. It is one of the few things that remind me of my mother._

_I tie it around the branch where it sways lazily in the breeze. It is not a ribbon, actually. It is a piece of the shirt my mother wore the day she gave birth to me. I smile down at it sadly, then turn. The forest stretches out before my eyes._

_Darkness envelopes me. I get to my feet. I am tired, but I need to eat first. I step out of the nest of branches and fall, landing on the ground with a thud. I grin, exhilarated. No. Nothing has changed._

_I am at home._


	2. Chapter I

I

The deer was about to die.

It didn't know that yet. It was nibbling the leaves off a young tree, paying no attention to its surroundings, unaware of the danger it was in. I smiled. It had wandered off from the rest of its herd, but even if it hadn't its minutes left to live were numbered.

I peeked through the ferns I was hiding in. There was another deer not far off. Maybe I'd have it for dessert. Yes, I'd definitely have it for dessert. If I had any room left, that is.

I focused on my primary target again. Its heartbeat was strong and inviting. I swallowed. I'd only had one lanky elk the night before, and I'd been too tired to go after the rest of its herd. Now, about _this_ deer…

I attacked.

The deer died quietly. I snapped its neck before it had time to realize what was happening, before it had time to cry out. I dragged its form body away into the ferns, stomach growling, and began to eat.

Its blood was delicious. I'd have preferred a carnivore like the bear who'd taken up residence somewhere nearby, but after a three-day-journey where, anxious to get home, I'd only killed and fed upon what I ran into – including rabbits, badgers and a racoon – the deer's blood tasted like heaven.

I pushed its broken body aside and sat back, breathing heavily. I didn't feel satisfied the way I knew human blood would make me feel – I shuddered at the memory and quickly shoved it aside – but I was full for the moment. No dessert, then.

I lay back, staring at the sky which was a dull gray today. Having spent almost a year in Washington State, I was used to worse. I didn't mind rain – much – but I didn't particularly enjoy getting wet.

The air didn't smell like rain, though. Yet.

I gently pulled a piece of paper out of the back pocket of my jeans, a copy of a newspaper article I'd acquired in Washington. It wasn't very long. A tiny picture of a girl with dark hair and ten and a half lines of text. I had memorized it. On their way home from Seattle a couple had discovered the mutilated body of a young girl and, beside it, a naked infant. The infant, according to her parents, couldn't possibly have been hers. As to how it had ended up beside her body, the police had no idea. As to how the girl had died, killed by some kind of animal, most likely.

I snorted. I'd have loved to know what kind of animal they'd had in mind.

But, maybe, the alternatives, if they had occurred to them, had been less appealing than lying, and that's why they'd settled for the easiest, if wrong, explanation.

It certainly had _not_ been some kind of animal.

Always depending on how one defined _animal_, of course.

I folded the article and put it back into my pocket. I'd have to get a piece of cling film or a sheet protector to keep it from getting wet.

It was the only photograph I had of my mother, after all.

I sighed.

I'd have to go into town.


	3. Chapter II

II

I didn't like interacting with people. I didn't like _people_, period. But, then, most people didn't like _me_, either – or were, at least, wary around me – so I tried to avoid them, meaning I didn't go into town very often. I usually went after dark – I'd ended up in Washington the one and only time I hadn't; admittedly, some good had come out of it, but I wasn't keen on repeating the experience – but if it started to rain…

I deliberated for another moment, then got to my feet.

I'd risk it.

It was still very early; most people would be at work, the kids at school. I sometimes watched them at the bus stop, waiting for the yellow bus that took them to Richmond. I had a lot of spare time.

I decided to go by the river first, however. I wanted to wash up in case someone saw me. Normal people just didn't walk around covered in blood.

I was thinking about what I'd do when I got back – maybe track down that bear; I hadn't had a carnivore in quite some time – when the scent first hit me, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

My body tensed and I fought back a snarl. The scent wasn't fresh, but my body reacted all the same, my brain going into overdrive as I tried to process it. I'd never encountered it before. It was sweet, but not unpleasant, and clouding my senses in a way I didn't like. I forced my muscles to relax and walked on, sniffing the air like a dog. The scent grew stronger, thicker. It washed over me, and although my body was still on high alert, I didn't feel particularly threatened by it. It seemed familiar in a way I couldn't explain.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. Anything able to dazzle me and confuse my senses that way, not matter how safe and familiar it felt, could only be dangerous.

I had to follow it, had to find out how many there were and whether or not they were, in fact, dangerous.

If they weren't, maybe I could get them to leave.

If they were, _I_'d have to leave.

I started running. I didn't even know if I was going in the right direction, but I figured I'd find them eventually. Besides, a detour would give me time to think.

The forest flew by, streaks of green and brown and gray, the colours I loved. This was my home. I couldn't possibly leave again. But I was alone, and the concentration of the scent suggested there were at least three of them. Maybe even more.

The scent led me by the river – not where I'd crossed over last night, but farther up; I wouldn't have noticed – and into a part of the forest where I'd been only once before, the day I'd left New York for good.

Eventually I turned west and up a gentle slope. The highway wasn't far now, one of the reasons I'd never returned. And then I remembered. There was an old house, just another mile up the hill. But… I paused to catch my breath although I didn't really have to. If that's where they lived, they had to be people… I rushed on and only slowed down when the forest thinned. The house, tucked into a small clearing, suddenly appeared before me.

I skittered to a stop and hid behind a group of young maples. The scent was so thick I found it hard to breathe. Quietly I parted the leaves and looked at the house they way I looked at my prey as I analyzed the best way to kill it. Entirely made out of granite and three storeys high, it was beautiful. The broken windows I remembered had been replaced, the adjoining barn rebuilt. Flowers, hundreds of them, lined the driveway.

The house appeared empty. No voices. No radio. No TV.

Just silence.

I frowned. It _was_ very quiet. Too quiet. I'd gotten used to the sounds of the forest and barely noticed them anymore, if I didn't pay attention. But here – nothing. No chirping birds, no animals scurrying through the undergrowth. I knew animals tended to avoid me, too, but they just hid and didn't vanish altogether. I sniffed the air and got nothing.

This was… strange, to say the least.

I decided to take a closer look.

But, as I was about to walk into the open, I caught movement behind one of the windows and jerked back. The maples snapped their branches angrily at me; apparently they didn't like to be disturbed.

And then, to my horror, the window opened and a woman, probably one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen, looked out. At me. Or maybe not at _me_ directly, but she had the general direction right. I didn't think she was able to see me, but…

But, obviously, she'd heard me.

I pressed flat against the ground, hardly breathing. I heard the window close, but I didn't dare to look up. Half a second later the front door opened, heavy wood scraping over the floor, and then footsteps on the gravel.

My muscles locked.

The leaves parted. The scent, sweet as honey, washed over me, and I glanced up. The woman looked down at me, her eyes the colour of molten gold. Her heart-shaped face was friendly, motherly even. Hair the colour of caramel fell to her shoulders.

"Hello," she said, smiling.


	4. Chapter III

III

I gaped at her and didn't know what to say. My instincts were screaming at me to run, but I forced myself to stay where I was. She seemed friendly enough.

"Hello," I said as I got to my feet.

She smiled at me, her expression quizzical. She was taller than me, but not much, and her skin white as marble, whiter than mine. She was beautiful. And the scent… I swallowed. The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and yet I didn't feel threatened. Much, anyway. It was weird. Or confusing. Or both. And – something else bothered me. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"I am Esme." She stepped back, hands folded loosely behind her back n a non-threatening way. Her voice was lovely, too. "Who are you?"

"I don't really have a name," I replied, my voice guarded. Her eyebrows rose, and I shrugged. I'd gone through _eighteen_ foster families – and probably set a record – and had had fourteen names, but none of them really fit. My mother hadn't been able to name me. I didn't even know if she'd realized she'd given birth to a daughter before she died. She'd expected to have a boy; she'd always called me by my father's name.

"Why not?" she asked eventually.

I shrugged again.

Esme smiled. "Never mind. Would you like to come inside?"

How strange of her to invite someone she didn't know into her house. A trap? I didn't think so. Maybe she just didn't have any reason to be afraid.

"I don't know…" I said just as the sun broke finally through the clouds. My mouth fell open in surprise. The light reflected off her skin: a million diamonds sparkling in the sun. It was beautiful.

And terrifying.

And suddenly I realized what had bothered me before.

She didn't have a heartbeat.

I gasped for air, already moving away and back into the forest.

"Wait!" she cried, reaching for me.

I bolted.


	5. Chapter IV

IV

I raced through the forest, raced as fast as I could, my mind spinning madly. I crossed the river in a single stride and turned north, away from home. I ran and ran and ran. The forest flashed by, animals fleeing before me, birds chirping angrily overhead. The light changed as the day progressed, and I was running still.

I tripped. I'd never tripped before – not even as I was learning how to walk – and it took me by complete surprise. Falling down, I split a rock, the one I'd tripped over, in half. I cried out and rolled on my back, clutching my head, which felt as if I'd split it, too.

I hadn't, of course. I'd never broken a single bone in my life. No matter how hard I fell, no matter how violently a mountain lion or bear raked its claws across my skin – I never got hurt. And until today I'd thought I never would.

That woman…

The sky was a deep indigo. I'd been running all day and I hadn't even noticed. I sat up, my hands flat against the damp ground. No heartbeat. How could one walk and talk and not have a heartbeat? And the way she'd looked in the sun…

My stomach growled. I needed to eat, but I didn't dare go anywhere near my usual hunting grounds. I sniffed the air and caught a trace of elk. I found a small herd across the river – I'd crossed it so many times today, I'd lost count – and took it down messily; I'd wash up afterwards before I'd go looking for a place to sleep.

They might find me, if I went home.

But I couldn't leave my keepsake. Not if I had to leave the forest for good.

I took my time washing my face and my arms, trying to calm down. I didn't want to leave. Maybe if I just moved… If I stayed away, if I didn't threaten them in any way…

_You don't know if they're actually dangerous_, my mind argued. _She didn't _seem _dangerous, did she? You ran away before you got a chance to find out!_

Yes, I had. But what if I'd stayed and she'd attacked me…

I knew I was acting irrationally, knew I wasn't thinking straight, but… But_ seems to be your favourite word of the day_, a part of my mind that wasn't busy panicking noted. I almost smiled.

I needed to get my keepsake.

I'd think things through after that.


	6. Chapter V

**Author's note:**

**Thank you so much for your reviews! I'm still thrilled that someone is actually reading the story.**

**There'll be four more chapters, give or take!**

**Enjoy!**

V

It was dark when I finally got home. No trace of their scent. I dashed across the clearing and up my tree and grabbed the blanket, the cat and the ribbon, which I stuffed into my pocket. For just a second I paused. I didn't know if I'd ever return, so I wanted to enjoy the view for a last time. The moon over the trees, the stars, millions of tiny twinkle lights, the breeze ruffling the leaves. I closed my eyes, inhaling the fresh, cool air – and froze.

They were here.

My heart started racing as I searched the edge of the wood. There they were. Five of them. They hadn't followed me in; I'd taken a detour and come in from the other side. They must have stumbled across an older trail. Or maybe not. My scent was all over the place, after all. I ground my teeth. I'd run all day for nothing because I'd _panicked_. What a fool I'd been.

The woman, Esme, was with them. She was talking to a man, taller than her and blonde, but just as beautiful. Her voice was too low for me to hear. A girl who was tinier than tiny danced across the clearing, followed by another male, also blonde, who never left her side. _To protect her_, my mind stated. I grimaced. Protect her from what? Me? I was hopelessly outnumbered. Did they honestly expect me to fight them?

Maybe they didn't know it was just me.

No, they knew. If they'd followed my scent, they knew it was only me. And yet there were five of them, meaning they either weren't as dangerous as I feared or they were just being very careful. I had to assume the latter.

The last one, tall and bear-like, stood near the edge of the forest, impassive.

Maybe, if I moved very quickly and quietly, I'd still be able to escape…

The girl suddenly sat on the branch next to me, her protector above us, and I flinched.

I hadn't seen them move.

"Hi," she said cheerfully, "I'm Alice and that's Jasper!"

Jasper just smiled. It wasn't a very friendly smile. It wasn't hostile, either. Just cautious.

They _were _careful.

"Hi," I replied eventually and, realizing I was still clutching it to my chest like some little old lady her purse, dropped the blanket.

Alice smiled a pixie-like smile. Dark hair, the tips curling upwards, framed her face. She was just as beautiful as Esme.

She didn't have a heartbeat, either.

None of them had, as far as I could tell.

"Do you really not have a name?" she asked curiously.

Jasper sighed. I gathered he wasn't as enthusiastic about talking to me as his friend – or whatever she was to him. Alice, however, didn't seem to care.

"Well…" I wasn't sure if I should tell her. I deliberated for a second, then decided that it didn't really matter. I wouldn't tell her everything, though. "My mother died before she got a chance to name me," I explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said as if she actually meant it. "You came by our house this morning, didn't you?"

Was I supposed to answer? She knew I had.

"Esme is sorry she scared you off," she went on, feet dangling. "And we're not here to hurt you. We were just curious."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said carefully.

"Look," Alice said and flung herself gracefully off the branch she'd occupied. She _was_ tiny. At least five inches shorter than me. "We'd like to get to know you. We're neighbours, after all."

I frowned. "You respect my, um, territorial claim?" I hadn't expected that.

Alice laughed. "Of course we do. The forest is big enough for all of us. So, why don't you come home with us, and we talk? Just talk."

"I'm not sure." It didn't feel like a trap. I was outnumbered. No need to lure me into a trap to get rid of me. "Let me think about it!"

"Sure." Alice grinned. Then, about half a second later, "Have you thought about it?"

"Alice," Jasper scolded affectionately, "not everyone appreciates your enthusiasm."

She pouted and stuck her tongue out at him.

I had to smile; I couldn't help it. "Alright, I'll come."

Alice beamed up at me as if she'd just won the lottery. "Wonderful!"


	7. Chapter VI

**Author's note:**

**I got some very nice reviews, and I'm so glad – and thrilled – you like the story. I didn't plan on writing another one, but maybe I will. It's kind of fun… If you want a sequel, that is. Just let me know.**

**Enjoy!**

VI

We walked instead of running. I was tired, and although the bear-like one who'd been introduced to me as Emmett offered, I refused to let him carry me. Alice danced along beside me, chatting happily about school, clothes and music. I didn't particularly care about any of it, but I didn't tell her. It was nice to have someone talking to me about normal stuff.

The lights were on when we got there. They led me into the living-room. Dark wooden floor, the walls a soft beige, a few green accessories to add some colour. They sure had taste.

"Nice," I said and sat down on the edge of the couch. My clothes were dirty from running through the forest all day – which, I reflected, had been a total waste of energy and time – and I didn't want to ruin it.

"Thank you." Esme smiled. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Um." I hadn't mentioned my preferences as far my diet was concerned and wasn't sure if I should now. It was kind of creepy, after all. "Sure, why not," I said eventually. I could live off usual food if I had to. I didn't particularly like it, though. The first time I'd tasted blood – human blood – I'd all but lost it. After seven years I'd finally found out what I needed.

And it had freaked me out.

So, no, I didn't think I should tell them.

"A glass of water, please."

Esme was back within seconds; she'd even added crushed ice. "Here you go."

"Thanks." I smiled and took a sip, then emptied the glass. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was up until now. I should have killed another elk. "Um, could I…?"

Esme smiled and took the glass to refill it. Alice hopped onto the couch beside me, grinning. "So," she said, "what do you want us to call you?"

"I don't know." I frowned. I'd had a lot of names, but… "Gemma, I guess. It's the name I was given last. I don't think it fits me, but it's better than, say, Bonnie." I snorted.

Alice laughed. "I think it does fit you."

"If you say so," I replied dubiously.

"It does," Carlisle agreed, and I smiled. I barely knew him, but I already liked him. Frankly, I liked them all. They'd been very nice to me so far.

"She won't come down," Emmett announced as he sauntered in. He hadn't entered the living-room with us but gone upstairs.

Carlisle sighed. "It's her decision."

Alice rolled her eyes.

I didn't know exactly what was going on, but I didn't want to get caught in the middle of a domestic debate. Or cause it. "I think I'd better leave," I said.

"Nonsense," Esme replied, frowning, and Alice added, "Just ignore Rosalie. We all do. Most of the time, anyway. Now," she propped herself up on her elbow, "why don't you tell us about yourself?"

And so I did.


	8. Chapter VII

VII

I woke slowly. Eyes closed, I turned and stretched, then remembered where I was, and my eyes flew open. The room was small, but very comfortably furnished. Pale blue walls, parquet the colour of golden honey and matching furniture. The sun had already risen, and the room was brightly lit. I peered out the French windows; the clouds were gone, and I giggled.

"You're in good spirits today," someone said, and I quickly turned to find the door ajar and Alice perched on the dresser.

"I am," I said, smiling. I was, indeed. After what they'd told me last night, I felt different. Like I wasn't the odd one out anymore. Like I'd suddenly found my place in the world. I climbed out of bed and started looking for my clothes, wondering briefly who'd undressed me – obviously I'd fallen asleep on the couch, and they'd decided not to wake me – when Alice tossed a bundle at me. A pair of dark jeans and a blue shirt.

"You're clothes are in the washer," she explained. She glanced out the window, refusing to meet my eyes.

I frowned. "The washer? Did you…"

Alice snorted. "_Please!_ Of course, Esme searched the pockets first. It's on your nightstand."

And there it was. The article, now unfolded and in a sheet protector, and my keepsake beside it. Once I was dressed, I stuffed the latter in my pocket.

"By the way, Esme's making you breakfast," Alice said. "Kitchen's down the hallway. Second door on the left."

And she was gone.

I found a brush on the dresser and yanked it through my hair, curl after curl, in the strangest shade of bronze. The clothes fit perfectly, which was nice. I usually had to make do with what I could get my hands on.

I went down the hallway and into the kitchen, where Esme was busy frying bacon.

I hadn't gotten around telling them about my dietary preferences yet.

Alice sat on the kitchen island, feet dangling. She didn't look up when I walked in. I frowned, trying to quell the sudden feeling of uneasiness. What was going on?

"Good morning," I said, and Esme turned to smile at me. Her expression was sad. "Thanks for washing my clothes," I quickly added, "but you didn't have to…"

Her smile faded, and she quickly averted her face.

Okay, something was definitely going on.

"Where are the others?" I asked.

"Out," Alice said.

"Out?" I echoed, but she didn't elaborate and I didn't ask. Instead, I thought about what they'd told me last night. Again.

Vampires… I almost laughed as I recalled my reaction. I shouldn't have been as shocked as I'd been, I decided. _I_ drank blood, too, now didn't I? For a while I'd even considered myself a vampire, but I'd discarded the idea eventually, considering that, for starters, I wasn't dead. There were similarities, though.

Carlisle had noticed, too, and asked me about my father. I knew his name, but names didn't mean anything, and he couldn't have been much of a father to begin with, considering he'd left my mother to die.

So I'd told him I didn't know anything.

"That article of yours…" Esme said suddenly. "Was she your mother?"

"Yes," I replied, and then, suddenly, everything fell into place. "You knew her, didn't you?" I asked, stunned.

"Yes, we knew her," Alice whispered. "She…" Her voice broke off as a sob rose in her throat. Her hands shook, and she folded her arms to restrain them. "We shouldn't have left," she whispered. "We shouldn't have left." She looked as if she'd like to cry. Maybe she couldn't.

"Did she tell you about your father?" Esme asked, composed.

"A little. She said he was…"

Alice suddenly shrieked and shot off the kitchen island. "No. No. No. No. NO! He can't DO that!"

What the hell was she talking about?

Esme seemed to understand. Her eyes widened. "He's coming back, isn't he?" she whispered. "When?"

"Couple of minutes. I didn't see him before." She turned to face me. "Gemma, whatever you do, do _not_ talk about your mother. Don't even _think_ about her! Trust me on this! Please! You must not think about her."

Had she lost her mind?

"Why…"

"Please," she breathed.

The front door opened. Alice shot out the open window and was gone within the fracture of a second. "We're in the kitchen!" Esme called out, stepping in front of me.

A second later – probably less, but, in the sudden tension, it felt like forever – a boy walked in, and my mouth fell open.

His hair had the exact same shade as mine.


	9. Chapter VIII

**Author's note:**

**A rather short chapter – again. Sorry about that, guys. I came up with about a million different Edward-meets-his-daughter scenes, but that's the one I like best. And I hope so will you.**

**The next chapter will probably be longer!**

VIII

"Edward!" Esme cried. She went to embrace him, and he put his arm loosely around her shoulders, the right corner of his mouth twitching into a crooked smile.

"Esme," he said quietly, and she smiled up it him. It was a nervous smile, though – if her heart had still been beating, it would have beat faster. He frowned down at her. Then, suddenly, his eyes locked on to me. They were black as pitch.

"Hi," I said, unable to move. His eyes kept me in place. "I am Gemma," I managed.

"She's our guest," Esme said sharply.

He shrugged and asked, "Where is everyone?"

I stared at him as he was talking quietly to Esme. Edward. Edward. Edward. _You must not think about your mother_, Alice had said. I tried to heed her warning, I really did. I tried to push the surfacing memory of my mother's voice away. I hadn't thought of her in months. Not consciously, anyway. But I did now. _Your father's very special_, she'd told me. _And you'll be special, too. My little Edward…_

His eyes swivelled back to me, his expression suddenly tense.

Esme froze. Her eyes widened and her hand closed around his arm.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice hard.

I swallowed. I couldn't move.

"Gemma, I think you'd better leave now," Esme said. "Alice will talk to you later."

"Fine." My voice was raw, and I swallowed again. Something was very, very, _very_ wrong. "I'll go get my stuff."

I brushed past them to get my article. His nostrils flared, and he caught my wrist before I knew he'd even moved, before Esme could even react. His hand reached into my pocket and pulled out the ribbon. It swayed gently in the morning breeze.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded.

I twisted my arm, trying to get free.

It didn't work. A strangely detached part of my mind registered a strange, burning smell, and I realized the pan was still on the stove, the bacon burnt beyond recognition.

"Where did you get this?" he snarled.

I reached for the ribbon, and he shook me so hard my ears rang.

"Edward!" Esme whimpered.

"Where – did – you – get – this?"

"It belonged to my mother," I managed to say.

His eyes widened. For just the fracture of a second he loosened his grip around my wrist, and I turned and shot out the window and into the forest.

I ran and ran and ran until everything went dark.


	10. Chapter IX

**Author's note:**

**Probably all of you want to know what's going on at the Cullen's right now, but I decided to stay with Gemma for this chapter. Don't worry, though – Edward will be back soon. Hope you can wait so long and not die of excitement! ;-)**

**Thanks for the reviews! It's what keeps me going!**

**Enjoy!**

IX

My eyes opened slowly. I lay stretched on the damp ground. I wondered briefly how I'd gotten there. Then memory returned, and I groaned.

Not a bad dream, then.

I felt as if I'd been running for days. My heart beat violently in my chest, my lungs were on fire and my legs felt strangely wobbly. Intellectually I'd always known I had limits. I'd just never expected to actually reach them.

Guess, I had now.

I sat up, trying to get my bearings. I didn't know where I was. I scanned forest, looking for a familiar landmark and found none. _Well_, I thought, _at least I'm a long way from the house. And _him_._

Unfortunately, I was also a long way from home.

I didn't know how long I'd been out, but the sun was still high in the sky, so it couldn't have been long. The animals had fled, the forest was silent. I didn't think I'd hear them coming anyway, but there was no trace of their scent in the air. _They're not following you_, I told myself, trying to shake the uneasy feeling. _They'd be here already, if they were._

I slumped back down, staring at the blue patch of sky visible between the tops of the trees.

I had met my father. I had _actually _met my father.

_And it didn't go too well, now did it?_

Tears welled up in my eyes. I didn't want to cry, not because of _him_, but I lost the fight. I'd never actually expected to meet my father. Lying awake at night, I had never imagined what I'd say to him if I ever found him. I had never imagined how he'd react if he learned he had a daughter.

But – if I had, I wouldn't have imagined it like that.

Her scent, some detached part of my mind noted. He must have recognized my mother's scent. It clung to the piece of fabric I'd torn off her shirt before the police had taken me away.

And her blood. There were tiny stains of my mother's blood on it, too.

_He thinks I killed her_, I realized.

Which, of course, I had.

I hadn't had much of a choice. I knew that. I'd always known that, even though I hadn't been able to accept it for a very long time. But now I had.

Sometimes women died giving birth. That's just how it was.

None of them died because the children they carried had to _tear_ their way out, of course. That was just me.

I didn't think about that day often. When I did, I only thought about my mother's face. It was beautiful. Even twisted with pain and covered in sweat. I didn't look very much like her. I knew I had her eyes, brown and gentle. But I had _his_ hair, _his_ features.

I didn't know much about him. Only what my mother had told me, and she had loved him so much she'd never spoken ill of him. _He's special. And you'll be special, too._

Special… Was I special? Or was I just a freak?

_Sometimes our kind's gifted_, Carlisle had told me yesterday. He hadn't elaborated on the subject, but I got the idea.

I was gifted, too.

If that's what you wanted to call it.

It wasn't a gift I particularly enjoyed. It had taken me years to control, and it was one of the reasons I'd been in so many different foster families.

Nobody wanted a child who was able to show you what she was thinking about by touch.

_You must not think about your mother_, Alice had said. Why not? Because he would know? He certainly had noticed when I'd remembered her voice.

Was he able to read other people's minds?

Possibly.

I wondered what he was doing now. Would Esme show him the article? Would he blame himself for leaving us? For leaving her? For having sex with her?

For killing her? For if he hadn't slept with her, she'd still be very much alive.

And I wouldn't exist.

My stomach growled.

I wandered to the forest until I found a deer. I took it down, and then another one and another one until I was positively glutted. Although it wasn't even noon yet, I felt sleepy.

I crawled into the undergrowth, still not knowing where I was, and curled up like a cat, waiting for sleep to come, hoping that, even for a few short hours, I'd be able to forget what had happened today.

I was.


	11. Chapter X

**A/N**_: _

_Thank you so much for staying with me and the great reviews I received! _

_Again it's a rather short chapter. Three more to go. For now. This story is getting longer than I originally planned._

_Enjoy!_

X

When I woke the sun was about to set. Wondering what had woken me, I turned on my back and stretched, then froze. Movement. I sensed it rather then heard it, and jumped to my feet, ready to scram, but suddenly Alice was beside me, her hand around my wrist. "Gemma," she whispered, her expression blank. "You have to come back with us. Please!"

"Why?"

"Edward," she whispered, her voice breaking. "We have to stop him…" She swallowed. "Come with us, please."

"Why should I?" I replied harshly. Wasn't it obvious my father didn't want me? Wasn't it obvious I neither wanted not needed _him_?

"Please," Jasper said, pleading. I hadn't even seen him until now. He stepped forward, and I felt my resistance crumble, almost against my will. "We'll explain on the way."

"Fine," I said eventually, and Jasper, obviously relieved, gathered me into his arms, and then we were racing through the forest at what felt like the speed of light.

"Esme showed him the article," Alice, who had no problem whatsoever keeping up with us, explained. "He… didn't take it very well." We were almost there; I was beginning to recognize trees and rocks. "He thinks it's his fault Bella is dead."

She'd never said my mother's name before, and it felt weird hearing someone other than me say it.

"So he's going to do something… rash," she finished, swallowing as if to choke back tears.

"He never planned to outlive your mother," Jasper added quietly. "But…"

"Why did he leave in the first place?" I demanded. There were lights ahead. The house.

"To keep her safe," Alice said softly. "We _are_ dangerous, and after her birthday party where…" She broke off.

"Where I almost killed her," Jasper finished bitterly.

"Jasper," Alice began, but he cut her off.

"No. If he wants to blame someone he might as well blame _me_. If I hadn't attacked her then we never would have left and Bella would still be alive."

"You don't know that," Alice whispered.

Jasper shrugged.

"Do you think he would have come back if he knew about me?" I asked quietly.

"I think so," Alice replied. "He never would have let her die. He would have turned her, the very thing he never wanted to do, but he would have done it to safe her. I'm sure of that."

"But," I said, frowning, "she would have died eventually, anyway…"

I felt Jasper shrug again. "It wouldn't have been his fault."

"Edward decided not to come with us when we left Forks. He couldn't deal," Alice said. "He called every now and then to let us know where he was, what he was doing, but we hadn't seen him in over ten years."

I began to understand what it must have cost him to leave. I suddenly felt sorry for thinking ill of him. "He doesn't have very good timing, does he?" I asked.

"No," Alice sighed, "he doesn't."

"What's he going to do now?" Then what Jasper had said before registered, and I gasped. "He doesn't want to _kill himself_, does he?" I asked, horrified.

Alice looked at me, her expression sad. "I'm afraid he does."


	12. Chapter XI

**A/N**: _I promise Edward will return in the next chapter. The story is almost finished. Stay with me, guys! Thank you so much for the reviews!_

XI

"Found her," Alice announced as we walked into the living room. Esme, who was waiting for us, gave a sigh of relief. Jasper put me down to pull out his cell phone. Seconds later Emmett barrelled in through the front door, followed by a woman I didn't know. Rosalie. She smiled, which – after last night – I hadn't expected. I'd assumed she didn't like strangers.

Apparently, I'd been wrong.

"What now?" I asked, entwining my fingers to keep them from toying with the hem of my shirt, which I sometimes did when I was nervous.

"Now we track him down," Carlisle replied. By now I was used to the way they moved, and I saw him dashing down the stairs. It was hard on the eyes, though.

"It's not going to be easy," Alice warned. "He knows we'd never let him kill himself without a fight. And, unfortunately, I'm practically blind."

"Excuse me," I said, raising a hand as if at school, "what do you mean by that?"

"I see the future," Alice explained quickly. "Or, rather, I see what people decide and how it implicates and changes the future."

I frowned. "Doesn't sound very reliable, does it?"

Alice smiled. "No, it doesn't. Unfortunately, once I'd decided to get you to help us, Edward blurred out of sight, because now your future and his are intertwined. And, for some reason. I don't see you at all. It's annoying, really."

"Be that as it may," Carlisle said, "we need to find him. Before he leaves the country. I spoke to the credit card company after Esme called me and had is cards cancelled. That should at least keep him from boarding a plane. And buy us some time."

"He left around noon," Emmett pointed out.

"Yes, but he hasn't made up his mind yet," Alice said. "At least he hadn't before we decided to go after Gemma."

Emmett didn't reply, but it was obvious he didn't think cancelling Edwards credit cards would do us much good. Neither did I.

"Let's split up," Carlisle said. "Gemma, you're with Alice and Jasper."

"What do we do if we find him?" Rosalie asked. "You know how he is once he's made up his mind."

Carlisle sighed. "Hold him down and let Gemma talk to him."

"What makes you think he'd listen to me?" I asked dubiously. "He doesn't know me. And as far as he's concerned I'm the one who… who's responsible for my mother's death. And he's right."

"You're also his daughter," Carlisle said quietly. "And both of you have lost someone you loved. He'll listen to you."

He didn't add _hopefully_, but I heard it anyway.


	13. Chapter XII

**A/N**: _Hi guys! Sorry it took me so long! Judging by the reviews I got for the last chapter – or rather the lack thereof – I take it you're all waiting impatiently for me to post the next chapter! Well, here it is! One more chapter to go. Or two, I don't know yet._

_Again I gave a lot of thought as to how another meeting between Edward and Gemma would end. Here's how I think it could happen, but, then, my Gemma doesn't really act like Bella._

_Hope you enjoy!_

XII

We'd split up just as Carlisle had suggested. It didn't make things any easier, though. Finding someone who didn't want to be found was never easy. But, then, he didn't seem to be trying to mislead us, exactly. He just didn't seem to pay much attention to where he was going. Which, I reflected grimly as I stepped into the clearing housing my redwood tree, didn't make it any easier for us to follow him.

His scent was all over the forest, leading nowhere in particular. We didn't know if he'd been at the airport yet. If he had he knew his credits cards had been cancelled and he wasn't going anywhere. By plane, anyway. Because, as Jasper had pointed out somewhat sarcastically, crossing the ocean wasn't all that difficult for someone who didn't have to breathe. A few days or so would see him to Europe if he swam. I hadn't asked why they were so sure that's where he was headed.

The coast then. We had to find him – catch him, to be more precise – before he went into the water and his trail was lost.

"If I could just _see_," Alice muttered. Frustration coloured her voice, and I smiled into Jasper's back just as he said, "Patience is a virtue."

Alice snarled, and Jasper chuckled. Again he was carrying me, but I didn't mind. They _were_ faster than me, and I only would have slowed them down.

"Why do you think you can't?" I asked, deciding I might as well try to distract her. "See him, I mean. Or me, for that matter."

"I don't know," Alice replied, frowning. "Maybe it's an ability of yours. A shield, if you will. Edward couldn't read your mother's mind. Maybe you've inherited that trait…" She shrugged.

"But he could read mine," I said, frowning as well. "At least I think he could. Wouldn't that contradict your theory?"

"Yes. Besides, I saw your mother very clearly. Until her eighteenth birthday, that is. I thought it was because Edward told me not to watch out for her anymore and I was better at blocking someone's future than I gave myself credit for. Now I think it was because of you."

"Have you ever thought…" I began, then broke off. I watched the forest fly past. I'd never been here before and didn't recognize anything. But I didn't have to. His scent was strong and easy to follow. Even in the dark. "Have you ever thought of coming back?" I whispered eventually.

"Yes." Alice smiled at me, a smile so sad I wanted to reach out to her hadn't we been running at what felt like the speed of light. "Almost every day."

_Then why haven't you?_ I wanted to ask. But I didn't. "Any other ideas as to why you can't see my future?" I asked instead. I'd always thought seeing the future was impossible. I probably shouldn't have, considering that most people also thought mind reading was impossible when, clearly, it wasn't. But I had.

Alice shrugged. "Maybe it's because you're neither vampire nor human. I never thought about it before, but it makes sense. I see vampires best because I am one, and I see humans OK because I was one…"

I was about to answer when Jasper stopped dead in his tracks, and I slammed against his back so hard my head snapped back. Ouch. I was going to have a headache.

We'd reached the edge of the forest. The sea was very near now, and the air smelled of salt and water. And there it was. _His _scent. Strong, undiluted and fresh.

Alice bounded past us, and Jasper set after her, running so fast I felt vaguely sick. He put my down beside a collection of black boulders, pausing only for a split-second to remind me to call Carlisle, and then he was gone, too. Darkness enveloped me. I glanced up. Stars, hundreds of them, scattered across the sky. But no moon. _New moon_, I thought. _How appropriate_.

I tried to locate Jasper and Alice as dialled Carlisle's number pre-programmed into Jasper's cell. He answered at once. "We've found him," I whispered quickly. "At least I think we have. Jasper and Alice just ran off…" I told him where I was, then hung up.

I scanned the edge of the cliff. The sea was very quiet tonight, almost peaceful. Then I saw them. A dark silhouette against the dark sky. Three people, struggling quietly. I rushed to meet them, my mind spinning madly.

Noticing me, he turned to look at me. For a moment he forgot to fight Alice's and Jasper's restraining hands. His expression was blank, dead. Alice was talking to him, trying to reason with him, trying to talk him into coming back with them. He didn't answer. He probably wasn't even listening.

I took another step, and then another. He dropped his gaze, and I froze. My father. _Talk to him_, Carlisle had said before we left. But what was I supposed to say?

"Edward," I said at last, my voice trembling. The name, spoken aloud for the first time after so many years, fell uncertainly from my lips. I'd heard my mother say his name so many times, and I knew, knew from the minute I was able to make sense of what was happening around me, how much she'd loved him, how deep her affection for him had been.

I didn't feel the same way about him.

But he was my father. And my mother wouldn't want him to die.

And then his family had arrived. I saw them leave the forest one by one, but they kept their distance so I could talk to him. Did they honestly expect him to listen to me?

"You don't have to do this," I said eventually. How lame. He didn't look up, and glanced at Carlisle who have an encouraging nod. Great. I sighed. "Look," I began, folding my arms to keep myself from fidgeting, "I know what you're going through right now…"

I hadn't expected him to answer, not really, and was surprised when he did. "Do you?" he asked, his voice cold and dead. He glared at me, his expression murderous, and I found I was glad Alice and Jasper were still holding on to him.

"I do," I said, fighting to keep my voice calm. "I've lost her, too, remember."

"You haven't killed her!"

Wallowing in self-pity, wasn't he? "Haven't I?" I shot back. "I tore my way out of her stomach, for God's sake." He flinched, but I didn't care. "And don't you say it's your fault. Sometimes women die giving birth. That's just how it is. I don't see the fathers of _their_ children offing themselves!"

He stared at me as if he couldn't quite believe what I was saying. I glanced at Alice; her eyes were wide, warning me. Obviously, she didn't approve of the direction our conversation – if you could call it that – was headed. I ignored her. "But if you have to, be my guest. Your family asked me to talk to you, that's why I'm doing it, and because I know my mother wouldn't want you to die. I don't care if you're a selfish coward. I know you are, but I don't care."

"Gemma," Carlisle said, clearly distressed.

But, as so many times before, my temper was about to get the better of me. I didn't try to stop it. "What makes you think you're so different? Other people cope, why can't you? The world's a miserable place, period. I spent seven years in foster care, I know what I'm talking about! You're not the centre of the universe, so _suck it up_!"

Silence. I realized I was shivering and pulled my arms closer around me. Alice and Jasper were staring at me, mortified; clearly, this wasn't what they'd had in mind when they asked me to talk to him. I shrugged.

He didn't answer.

"Whatever," I muttered eventually and stalked off into the night.

Nobody followed me.


	14. Chapter XIII

**A/N**: _Thank you so much for the reviews, Adamlena, Fire and Ice 22, cullengirl1994, mareaazul, Kendall94 and all the others who've stayed with me so far! This is going to be the last chapter! I find it somewhat lame myself, but, then, I often do._

_I'm thinking about a sequel, though, but I'm still in the waiting-to-be-kissed-by-the-muse stage (meaning I don't have a real idea, yet) so I don't know when I'll actually start writing!_

_Enjoy!_

XIII

I didn't sleep well that night. I woke twice, shivering, trying to remember what had woken me – nightmares, no doubt, though I'd _never_ had nightmares before – and when I woke again I found I, who'd never been afraid of the dark, was glad the sky was already turning pink. I crawled underneath my blanket and tried not to think about what had happened last night, but I couldn't help myself.

I'd lost it. And I wished I hadn't. I'd meant what I'd said, every single word of it, and I didn't regret saying it, but I wished I'd chosen my words more carefully. _Way to talk to someone who's decided to commit suicide_, I thought miserably. I pulled the blanket over my head.

The morning air was fresh and cool, but I didn't want to get up. I wasn't even hungry. I didn't have my keepsake, I didn't have the article. I'd found my family and lost them again. They wouldn't talk to me after what I'd done, would they?

I realized I was feeling sorry for myself, the very thing I'd accused him of doing, and pressed my lips together angrily. Great. I couldn't even take my own advice. _Seems to run in the family._

Someone chuckled.

Pulling the blanket aside, I glanced up. There he was, perched on the same branch Alice had occupied the night before. His face was sad, his eyes dark, but he was smiling. Or trying to, but it was definitely a smile. A beautiful, crooked smile. _I can see why Mother fell in love with him_, I thought dazedly, and the smile vanished instantly.

"Sorry," I muttered as I sat up and pulled the blanket around my shoulders, refusing to meet his eyes..

"Don't apologize," he said quietly.

Silence. I tried not to think of anything, which wasn't easy.

"My family's very grateful," he said eventually.

"They are?" I asked dubiously. "For what?"

"Saving my life."

"I yelled at you," I said, looking up again.

"Not many people do," he replied. "For obvious reasons." He flashed a predatory smile.

"They should," I muttered under my breath, and he chuckled again.

"Maybe," he allowed. "It's just…" He sighed. "It's hard. I left because I wanted to protect her. She wasn't safe as long as one of us was around. I loved her, and when she asked me…" He sighed again. "That night… I shouldn't have given in. If I hadn't she'd still be alive."

"I wouldn't exist," I whispered.

His eyes widened, shocked. "Gemma, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

I waved him off. "No, it's OK. When I realized I'd killed her…" I shook my head. "But I can't change it. Neither of us can. You know… She knew she'd die. She was trying to be… optimistic, but she knew she'd die. And she was OK with that. But she didn't blame you. Or me, for that matter. She thought she'd have a boy. She always called me Edward." His eyes darkened, but I went on, "She never knew she'd given birth to a daughter… She loved you. I know she did…" I trailed off. The sun had risen, and the thinnest ray of light filtered through the leaves, illuminating his face.

"Thank you for telling me," he said eventually. He leapt down and gently touched my cheek. "You look very much like your mother. The eyes…" He broke off.

"I have your hair." I managed a faint grin.

"You do," he agreed, and then he smiled. "Why don't you come back to the house? I'm sure they'd all like to see you."

"What about you?" I asked.

He smiled. "I'd like to get to know my daughter."


End file.
